The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-02

put OF literary genius will be much increased
The old adage, however must not be forgot
ten-sspoeia nascitur, non -ft'-though there
be some so-called poets who were neither born
nor made. The adage might be applied with
almost equal truth to novel;sts and story
writer's, for unless the talent or instinct be
born in one it never can be brought out. AT
least. there must be a germ to cultivate.
Given the germ and the instinct, the rest fol-
lows ia due course. The poet writes because
ne is moved to, and the novelist tells stories
because he cannot help it, The old nursery
song says:
Let dogs delight 70 bark and bite
For God hath made them
Lei bears and lions growl and fight
For It's their nature to.
The same explanation must suffice for gen.
Jus. Not that poets are in any proper sense
to be compared to dogs, or novelists and ro-
mancists to bears and lions, but if we are
asked to explain why the former write verses
we eau only answer, God hath made them
80" and rs to the novelists' gift OF story-tell-
ing. that '''tis their nature to-" 1t is possible
that many poets have proved disappoint-
ment 10 the Creator, and that the divine,
mind has experienced an emotion of sad regret
that they were not born something else. Ger
tainly their fellow mortals have often felt so.
ists sometimes mistake their mission by i'm
sgining that they are called to very differ
emit kind OF romanclng from that which ma
turc intended them for. There are yarns
and yarns and person may possess rea. tai
ent as common, ordinary liar without being
born novelist.
But we have drifted somewhat from the
purpose of this article. Apropos Of the in
terest which reading people always feel con-
corning authors and the inside history of
their works, may instance recently
published essay by Mr.. Julian Hawthorne.
in Which he takes the public in his confidence
and furnishes some pleasant gossip concern
ing his literary life. 1t appears that MIR.
Hawthorne was educated for civil engineer,
and while studying at q polytechnic school in
Dresden, he being then twenty-three years
old he wrote two sOnnets for an American
magazine Two years later, while acting as
photographic engineer i'll the New York dock
department. he wrote q short story for Har
per's Weekly, for which he received $50
l. 20 NJ Int tf
different periodicals. In 1872 he lost his stu
alton as engineer and, to quote his words
81 bought twelve reams Of large letter
paper and began my first work, 'Bres
SAINT" He finished this in three weeks
then rewrote and recast it, and sen
it to Boston publisher The manu-
script was lost in the mails and was neve
found He rewrote it Il third time and solt
it to an English pull ;sher for $500. This wa
pretty good for a beginning Mr.. Haw
thornes next work was "Idolatry." which h
says he re-wrote in whole or in part sever
times. About this time he went abroad an
spent several years in London. His mex
novel was Garth" published as serial il
Harpers Magazine. He says: when it ha
run M- q year CT more with no signs 0
abatement, the publishers felt obliged
intimate that unless ] put an end to thei
misery, they would. Accordingly, prompt
gave Garth bis quietus.. The truth is l wa
tired of aim myself" After mentioning otLe
short stories and sketches written about thi
time. Mr. Hawthorne says: Il had alread
ceased TO take pleasure in writing for its ow
: sake--paity. no doubt, because was oblige
to write for the sake of something else. Onl
those who have no reverence for literatul
should venture to NEEDLE with the making ,
it. unless, at all events, they can SUI
ply the demands Of the butcher an
baker from an Independent source
So authors have talked in all ages. Povert
and literature have never been on good term
though doubtless necessity is a greater incel
tive to labor than leisure is. Referring to or
Of his characters, "A Red-baired Girl NJ
Aa"tnothc says uiilorlhiy prefer III
herones to my heroes; perhaps because | il
vent the former out OF whole cloth, where,
the latter are often formed of shreds ar
patches of men have met When he worke
he worked hard. II remember" he say
"oncs writing for twenty-six conseeuti,
hours yrithoat pauting Of sising from m